Everybody Relax. Our Tax Payment(s) Will Resolve the National and State Debt!

Ouch!  We knew we were going to take a big hit this year due to some movement of investment accounts and final payments from my employer that rolled into 2013.  Still, those big numbers really sting.  Certainly as we look back at 2013 it doesn’t feel like we “made too much money.”  Compared to what/who?  Alas, it is actually a relief to know for sure what we owe and that next year we will be just fine without making any adjustments to the income we have moving forward.  It will slow down the payoff of those final pesky bills, but we will make it work.  As I told Bill: it’s just money, not a cancer diagnosis.

There was good news this week to somewhat offset the tax numbers.  First, I went to CarMax as planned and was very pleased with their offer-to-buy.  It is much higher than the online calculators gave me, and enough to “nearly” pay off the car loan.  Second, housing prices have risen 21% since we bought our place in 2011 and are expected to increase another 8-9% by the end of this year.  This, coupled with very few houses on the market, gives me more confidence that we can afford the rig we want once the house sells.  Will keep an eye on things between now and then, but the projections are good!  Finally, I received positive confirmation on a question regarding the impact of Bill’s retirement next April for Richie’s (our youngest still at home) health coverage.  Thanks again to my BFF Janis for the heads up and the necessary kick.  She always says I’m lucky that things go my way, but she forgets that a lot of time she is the one responsible for that good “luck.”  I know I’m blessed to have her in my life J!

On a completely separate note…….

As an admitted blog/forum junkie I’m enjoying the comforting similarities and differences between the hooked-up RV parkers and the unplugged boondockers.  I try to live my life with responsibility and respect: responsibility for my own actions and respect for others.  As we prepare to completely untether from our current lifestyle and join the growing number of full-timers, I am encouraged by a similar common thread that seems to run through those “out there”.  While the “how” they do it is vastly different, the “why” is nearly identical.  It is like one big organism with many brains and one heart.  Whether they are always connected to full hookups with multiple amenities available, social events every day and night, close to major towns, and comfortable parked close together; or living on solar panels with bi-weekly moves to a dump station, days and weeks without other human contact, far from any conveniences, and feeling safe completely alone in the wilderness; or a combination of both – full-timers  seem to support and truly enjoy each other!  A great example comes from reading regular bloggers’ posts and comments on the big January show in Quartzsite – sort of like Miracle Whip, hate it or love it - with strong opinions attached!

The regulars generally know where others stand on the Quartzsite fence and have good-natured fun lobbing a few zingers back and forth for a couple weeks.  Still, even with strong differences just on this one topic, it is clear that in a crisis those cables would be unhooked or those solar panels lowered, and without hesitation help would be on its way.  I’ve “seen” it happen several times, with people who have never met in person, being there for each other on so many levels.  Even politics and religion, although rarely referenced, are handled with tolerance and good humor. 

So maybe bloggers are special and the rest of the full-timing community is a bunch of jerks who will burst my bubble the first night we open the slides……..but I don’t think so.  It’s also a lot of pressure – so much to live up to!!

Regardless of where they park their home, all will be able to relax come April 15 when the government receives our check and is once again in the black!